Bengal Cat Temperament

Bengal cat temperament is a tricky thing. In some ways they are a lot like other cats, but in other ways they exhibit some very quirky cat behavior and temperament, due to their Asian Leopard Cat heritage. One bad behavior to watch out for is Male Cat Spraying in Bengals that haven’t been neutered. Aside from that, I think that you will find that they have a pleasing temperament as long as you like energetic cats.

Intelligent
The first thing that you will notice is that they are very smart. They really seem to know what’s going on and they are very responsive to their owners. They may often look at new things in your house and try to figure out how they can play with them. Anything they are clever enough to find a way to play with anything that isn’t bolted down.

Energetic
These cats are very active and energetic. They like running, jumping and just playing around. They are very lively and also like stalking things. So be careful to keep them on a leash if you take them outdoors. Don’t be surprised to find them charging around the house at full speed or jumping up to high spots in your home. You might want to work on training them to keep them under control.

Love Water
Bengals are descended from Asian Leopard Cats. The ALCs spent thousands of years catching fish out of streams and lakes in order to survive. So natural selection has really shaped them to like water, since the cats that didn’t like jumping in water to catch fish probably went hungry. Bengals have retained this love of water, so make sure you keep your aquariums covered.

Playful
These cats love to play. They are so full of energy; they just have to find ways to let their energy out. They like balls of yarn and they also like toilet paper, so you might want to leave the door of your bathroom closed. They definitely like company so often its a good idea to have another cat for them to play with or you will have to spend a lot of time playing with them.

Agile
Bengals are very agile. Their agility probably stems back to their ALC heritage. The ALCs that were agile and able to catch the most food were the ones that survived to pass on their genes. These types of cats run swiftly and can stop on a dime and change direction rapidly. They can also jump very high and the highest spots in your home are not out of reach for them.

Vocal
To put it mildly these cats are very vocal. Some might even say that they are loud. So if you are looking for a quiet cat, you should look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a cat that likes talking to you, this may be the type of cat for you.

Love Heights
Bengals really like to climb. Be sure to keep them on a leash when you take them outside or they will try to climb trees to hunt birds. They seem to have a natural affinity for high places. They will try to jump up on countertops and then climb even higher. The top of bookshelves are not out of reach. They will also try to climb tall houseplants or even curtains, so watch out.